


Hellions #6

by Commander_Ferro



Series: Posthumanity [6]
Category: Marvel (Comics)
Genre: Drug Addiction, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-20
Updated: 2018-11-20
Packaged: 2019-08-26 12:26:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16681597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Commander_Ferro/pseuds/Commander_Ferro
Summary: The Hellions take on the Hand and target Matsu'o Tsurayaba.  Kitty Pryde undergoes a transformation.





	Hellions #6

“I’ve always wanted to go to Japan,” said Foxfire. “It’s gorgeous. I’ve heard some people never leave once they’ve been.”  
Five members of the Hellions found themselves in the middle of Japan. Ariel, the leader, had come with Foxfire, Flashfire, Youngblood, and Magma on yet another assassination mission. Their target was the Japanese crime lord named Matsu’o Tsurayaba, part of the Yakuza and a faction leader of the Hand. A member of the Japanese branch of the Hellfire Club, Tsurayaba had made clear his intentions of becoming Lord Imperial. The current Lord Imperial, Roman Abramovich, took umbrage. He ordered the New York Club’s White Queen, Emma Frost, to send her Hellions to deal with the problem.  
Matsu’o himself is said not to be the greatest problem on the mission. He has an assassin bodyguard named Kwannon, who is also his lover. Kwannon is Hand trained and a posthuman empath, meaning she can literally ‘feel’ when a person will attack.  
Flashfire put an arm around Foxfire’s shoulder and smiled.  
“Only you would find beauty during an assassination mission, sis,” Flashfire said.  
“Okay, guys,” Ariel said. “Let’s get back on track. We’ve got a job to do and it sounds like this is the toughest one so far. We’ve done this a dozen times in the Combat Room but the fact is that Kwannon is an unknown factor. We have to really be on guard. Like I said on my first mission, and what I will continue to say, is that everyone gets back alive and intact. Period. That means no stupid mistakes. If I say do something, do it the way I say. None of you have my experience. I’m not trying to downplay your abilities but I was an X-Man.”  
“While I was an ‘X-Baby’,” Magma quipped.  
“That wasn’t really you,” Ariel responded. “You were someone else. I have to tell you, Magma, that I like who you are now more than who you were. Your control of your powers, the confidence without any of the arrogance, and your teamwork skills are all admirable. I think the Magma you are now would have been a great asset in the X-Men.”  
Magma nearly blushed at those comments. Ever since finding out that her home of Nova Roma was nothing more than a fiction created by Selene Gallio, Magma had been working with Emma Frost to recover her old life. It turned out she was quite a loving girl, not at all the arrogant Senator’s daughter she had thought herself to be. Those elements were now combined into the new Amara Aquilla, which benefited both herself and the others around her.  
“Now that you’ve made her happy, can we get on with this,” said Youngblood. “I’d just as soon be done with this murder so we can go home and I can forget all about it.”  
“Excellent idea,” said Flashfire. “We’ll sneak some booze into my room and drink the memories away!”  
“I was thinking more of my girl.”  
“Rub it in.”  
“It’s not my fault you don’t like Muslims,” Youngblood smirked.  
“He’s just gross.”  
“Enough,” said Ariel. “Foxfire and Flashfire, go scout out the area. Keep it low key and, if possible, dim your lights.”  
“Dim bulbs,” Flashfire snorted. “Got it.”  
Foxfire giggled at her twin’s sense of humor. Then she took to the air as light but decreased the output so that she was little more than an insubstantial wraith. Flashfire followed by transforming into a blob of light, which was very bright. While he couldn’t alter the brightness, Foxfire could affect all light. What she did was make him nearly imperceptible.  
Zipping out of sight, the two split up to search for Tsurayaba. They had a good idea of where he might be but wanted to do some scouting to find his exact location and what kind of protection he might have. It was also important to know the whereabouts of Kwannon.  
It didn’t take long for the two of them to come upon the crime lord. Kwannon was by his side. Among them were several ninjas, as well as guys with guns. It didn’t look like any of them would be much of a problem except, potentially, Kwannon. This part of the mission done, the twins headed back to report.  
“You think guns and ninjas are nothing to worry about,” Ariel said incredulously.  
Foxfire and Flashfire glanced at each other like they thought Ariel was nuts.  
“What is that look supposed to mean,” Magma asked.  
“Uh, let’s see,” said Foxfire. “I control light, Stephen can alter his density and mesmerize people, Ariel is apparently able to remove hearts, Youngblood can control any liquid – including blood, and you can create freakin’ volcanoes. Where’s the problem?”  
“Do you always think everything is easy,” asked Ariel.  
“Everything is easy,” Flashfire responded. “For some strange reason we always see the bright side of things. Must be our powers.”  
The five headed out with Flashfire and Foxfire leading the way. This time they didn’t bother with concealment. In fact, rather than make their entrance unseen, the twins crashed through the ceiling while Magma burned a hole through the wall to give entrance to herself, Youngblood and Ariel. The guns were already aimed in their direction and the ninjas had swords and throwing stars at the ready.  
“You should have taken better care to hide yourselves,” Matsu’o Tsurayaba said. “Kwannon sensed your emotions several minutes earlier. We were waiting for you.”  
Flashfire resumed human form, landing on the ground.  
“Well, duh,” Flashfire said. “You guys are all fucking losers. Daredevil – one guy with no real powers – eats these ninjas for breakfast every day. And we’re really powerful.”  
Kwannon eyed all five Hellions, carefully considering posture and obvious abilities. She was immediately drawn to the symbol on their uniforms.  
“Roman Abramovich has sent them,” Kwannon observed. “He sees you as a threat.”  
“He sees you as a nuisance, nothing more,” said Magma. “As with a mosquito, you squash it.”  
“You tell her, sister,” Foxfire cheered.  
“Your bravado is misplaced,” Kwannon said.  
“I doubt that,” said Youngblood.  
Youngblood’s eyes turned to liquid, his body following suit moments later. He reached out his hand, a gesture probably unneeded, and looked at some of the men before him. Seconds later, they dropped to the ground, little more than shriveled husks.  
“Ooh, that looks like it would suck,” said Flashfire. “No water equals no blood. Cool. Now we fight ninja!”  
Flashfire turned his body diamond hard and waded in. Foxfire's light projections literally cleaved some of the men in half. Magma summoned lava from deep underground, causing a mini-volcano to erupt. It caused very little damage on its own, except to those who were under it when it formed. She had such perfect control that it remained right where she wanted it.  
Ariel made her way toward Matsu’o, but was stopped by Kwannon. This posthuman ninja might present some challenge. Her psychic abilities, while fairly limited, gave her power over Ariel. Ariel hadn’t anticipated that Kwannon could do anything to her and was surprised to find a foot connecting to her gut. Ariel went down, since Kwannon couldn’t touch her if she was inside of the floor. That didn’t stop Ariel from getting back in the game, and she rose quickly back to the surface. Trying something different, Ariel grabbed Kwannon’s arm. As she connected to the muscle, Kitty phased. A piece of Kwannon’s arm was literally removed. She screamed in pain but was not down for the count. Kwannon drew her sword with the other arm. If it connected to Ariel, it would be bad news. Dodging an attack, Ariel reached for Kwannon’s hand. Once again phasing, she removed the hand holding the sword. Quickly picking up the sword, Ariel jammed it through her heart.  
“Nooooo,” Tsurayaba screamed. “You murdered her! I demand you summon Ogun! He can possess Kwannon and use his power to restore her!”  
All of the ninjas retreated from battle. Chanting something unknown, they raised their swords. At the completion of the chanting, they impaled themselves.  
At first, nothing happened. Then came a rumbling, something easily mistaken for Magma using her powers, though she was not doing so. A laughter could be heard as a gust of wind seemed to flow through the room. Finally, a form appeared. It was a ninja with a red devil mask, his sword in place at his side.  
“Who summons Ogun,” said the spirit ninja.  
“I do, my lord,” Tsurayaba said. “Please, take Kwannon as your own and heal her body. I would rather she live on, even if not with me.”  
As Ogun contemplated the idea, Magma shot a lava blast at him. Since he was a spirit, it passed right through him. It still hit a target, the one whom they were assigned to kill, and Matsu’o Tsurayaba’s life came to an end as his head melted.  
“It seems this Kwannon will have to serve,” Ogun said.  
Without another word, Ogun leapt into the body of the dying Kwannon. The hand began to reform and the muscle rebuilt itself.  
“Nu-uh,” Ariel said. “This isn’t happening.”  
Making contact with Ogun/Kwannon’s head, Ariel phased it into the ground and pulled away. There was no doubt Kwannon was dead for good.  
“Good job, everyone,” Ariel said. “Let’s go home.”

“That, Kitty, was simply amazing,” Frost said.  
The five Hellions sat in the debriefing room. Emma seemed overall pleased, but especially so with Kitty. It was no secret that Kitty was her favorite. Some thought it did her ego good to know she had an X-Man – and not a rogue – who was willingly working for her. The truth was that Emma saw something of herself in Kitty and intended to make her realize her potential.  
“It gets easier as we go,” Kitty said. “Even though I thought Stephen and Ivana were a little too noisy and light-hearted for my tastes, they were right on about one thing. We’re really powerful and a bunch of ninjas and guys with guns aren’t something to be feared.”  
“That’s right, baby,” said Stephen. “We rock.”  
“Save the rocking for another time, Stephen,” said Emma. “Your bravado will take you far but it needs to be reined in during delicate situations. It is for that very reason that you are here. The world does not see you as deserving of rights for a number of reasons. The time will come when outdated human morality gives way to posthuman ways, but that time has not yet arrived. You and Ivana will doubtless be at the forefront, but not if you die in battle.”  
Stephen tried to look as though he felt chastised but he had a difficult time doing so. It didn’t help that Ivana was trying to make him laugh with funny faces. They just didn’t see any downside in life.  
Emma sighed, resigned to their behavior – at least at home. She would drill them in the Combat Room in ways that made them suffer for not taking things seriously enough in the field. Hopefully, that would teach them when and where it was appropriate to act that way. Emma had no doubt they would be extremely successful and influential, but not if they laughed in the faces of those they sought to persuade.  
“You all did excellent jobs. Everyone died and none of you were injured. Bonuses to Amara, for killing the target, and Kitty, for removing two deadly opponents. Shower, change and get some rest. Dismissed.”

The three girls went to the showers, with two of them in animated conversation. Kitty seemed rather quiet. While she had a tendency to keep to herself, this was different. It might have been more justifiable if Kitty were upset about her actions in Japan, but that wasn’t the case. She seemed to be perfectly fine with it.  
“Kitty, are you feeling well,” Amara asked.  
“Perfect,” Kitty replied. “Never felt better. I’m glad I’m getting these missions. You don’t know how much money I rake in, both as mission leader and with the bonuses. I figure I’ve got close to two hundred and fifty thousand now. With the right investments, that will take me places, especially with much more to come.”  
“Don’t get too hung up on the money,” said Ivana. “It only buys things and those aren’t what’s most important in life.”  
“Says the girl who’s never had to worry about money. That fact is that I’m the only one here who didn’t come from money.”  
“That’s not fair,” Amara said.  
Ivana shook her head at Amara, suggesting she stop.  
“No, it’s not. I’ll see you both later.”  
Kitty walked out of the shower room to dry off and change. It was only when the hair dryer came on that Ivana spoke.  
“Something’s wrong with her.”  
“It must be the killing,” Amara said. “It’s changing her.”  
“I don’t think it is,” said Ivana. “She was headed for Matsu’o with no problem. Kwannon got in the way and she had to do some fighting. She still seemed okay. It wasn’t until after Ogun possessed Kwannon and Kitty put her head in the ground that something happened. No, not even quite then. It was on the ride home. She seemed way too relaxed, like it was something she did every day. I think it takes more than two assassination missions to develop that kind of attitude.”  
“What do you think it is,” Amara asked.  
“I don’t know, but watch her.”

When Kitty returned to her room, she saw that Doug had called her cell phone. She put it down. Then it rang, Doug again, and she answered it.  
“Kitty,” Doug said. “Did everything go okay?”  
“Fine,” Kitty replied.  
“Want me to come over for some cuddling?”  
“I think I’m just going to get some rest. Goodnight, Doug.”  
Not waiting for a reply, Kitty hung up. Just to be sure he didn’t call back, Kitty turned off the phone. Rather than go to bed, however, she got down on the floor and assumed the full-lotus position. Kitty closed her eyes and let her thoughts drift away.

“That was weird,” Doug said, putting his cell phone down on his desk.  
“What’s that,” asked Roberto.  
“Kitty was really distant and then she hung up on me. When I tried to call back I only got voicemail. She must have turned off her phone.”  
“Perhaps the mission didn’t go as planned.”  
“Maybe. I’ll talk to Adam and Stephen.”  
Doug opened the door and walked down the hall to the room Adam and Stephen shared. The door was ajar and Doug heard them talking. He popped his head inside before entering.  
“Can I come in,” Doug asked.  
“Sure,” Stephen said. “What’s up?”  
“Did, um, anything happen on your mission?”  
“We won! And now we’re going to drink to obliterate that memory! Yay!”  
“I told you--” Adam began.  
“Quiet, you. Rahne’s asleep. Leave her in peace.”  
Stephen went to the mini-fridge and pulled out a few beers.  
“Want one,” he asked Doug.  
“Uh, sure. I guess.”  
Stephen popped the top off the bottles and handed one each to Doug and Adam, then took one for himself.  
“We’ve also got vodka. We could use beer as a chaser.”  
“You do this a lot?”  
“You know how many parties we had at my school,” Stephen said with a laugh. “I’ll be all set for college.”  
“What brings you here,” asked Adam. “Since Stephen has gone so far off topic I thought I’d ask.”  
“Did anything strange happen specifically to Kitty,” Doug asked. “She’s acting a little odd.”  
“She mutilated an assassin from the Hand. Then when it was being rebuilt by a spirit who was possessing her, Kitty shoved her face into the ground. On the trip home she seemed like she had enjoyed the killing. I thought that was peculiar.”  
“It is,” said Doug. "After her last mission, Kitty cried. I had to hold her for a long time before she stopped shaking.”  
“For a hero who was blackmailed into becoming an assassin, the crying makes sense.”  
Doug gave Adam a strange look. What he had just said wasn’t common knowledge. He doubted any of the former New Mutants would have said anything.  
“How’d you know that?”  
“It’s so obvious,” said Stephen. “She was a super-hero. One of the X-Men. Then the X-Men disappeared, leaving her behind and the school closed. After that, she begins attending a school run by a major enemy. Being an assassin is not a natural evolution. She had to be coerced somehow.”  
“That’s part of why she has a hard time trusting people.”  
“Not just her,” Adam said, looking directly at Doug.  
“What’s that supposed to mean?”  
“Nothing. A simple observation. All of the ones who dislike Ms. Frost seem to have a problem with me.”  
“I think it’s because Frost was so chummy with you and your Dad.”  
“Geoffrey – the father you saw – is a clothing designer. He made all of those white outfits she insists on wearing. Alan – my other father – is an engineer. She loves Geoffrey because of the clothes. Trust me, neither of my fathers have any interest in the Hellfire Club. Ms. Frost invited them but they told her they wouldn’t feel comfortable hobnobbing with those sort of folks.”  
“Two fathers? Which one is your real father?”  
“Both of them. It’s a bit complicated but something along the lines of artificial insemination. I’ve no idea which one is my biological father and have no interest in finding out.”  
“Dude, I don’t care. Just curious.”  
“You don’t know how many times I have to explain this, particularly to those who have a problem with homosexuality.”  
“I bet. Probably worse if they knew you were posthuman.”  
“You should have heard what Frost said to me,” Stephen said. “Posthumanity is going to kick outdated human morality to the curb. And me and my sister are gonna lead the charge!”  
“Wait, are you—never mind.”  
“Another beer?”  
“That shot sounds good, too.”  
“Awesome!”  
Stephen pulled out a few glasses and some vodka. He poured a little vodka into each glass and distributed them.  
Clinking glasses, Stephen said, “Cheers!”

“How did it go,” Eileen asked.  
Ivana hadn’t even bothered to go to her room. As long as Eileen had a single, it made more sense for her to spend her time there. They lay together on the bed, arms around one another.  
“Okay,” Ivana said. “Not my favorite thing to do in life. On the bright side, we won. And he really was a scuzz-bag so no loss to the world.”  
“There’s my girl, always seeing the good in everything.”  
“You know where I see good?”  
“Where?”  
“In your beautiful eyes, those sensual lips, perfect breasts and lovely hips. That’s where I see good.”  
“Are you trying to seduce me?”  
“Did it work?”  
In answer, Eileen leaned over and kissed Ivana softly.  
“I’m not the only one in this room who’s beautiful,” Eileen said. “If I spent forever in your arms it wouldn’t be long enough.”  
The girls kissed some more, this time deeper than the last. Ivana’s hand slid up Eileen’s shirt. She loved the feel of those magnificent breasts. Moving her hand around to Eileen’s back, Ivana worked to undo the bra. It might have taken some work except her ability to create solid light objects was more nimble than her own fingers. That could come in handy at times.  
“Naughty girl,” breathed Eileen. “Using your powers like that for sexual pursuits.”  
“That’s me,” said Ivana. “It’s what you get.”  
“Thank God for that.”

In the morning, the Stepford Cuckoos stood near Kitty Pryde’s door, or at least four of them did. Esme was absent. That had been ever more common since Sophie had participated in psychically preventing Manuel from using his powers against his teammates, and particularly for the severe beating he had received. Esme had been trying to undo the psychic damage, but was no match for the barriers put in place by Kick-enhanced Tyler and Sophie.  
“What’s the problem, girls,” Illyana asked as she came out of her room. “Are Kitty and Dani fighting or something?”  
“Something is wrong,” the four said as one. It could be very creepy when they did things like that.  
“What do you mean?”  
“Kitty is wrong,” they replied. “Her mind is no longer correct.”  
Ivana slipped out of Eileen’s room. She was about to go into her room to get a change of clothes when she saw what was going on.  
“I knew it,” Ivana said. “Kitty’s change in attitude wasn’t normal.”  
“You knew,” Illyana said, turning to her. “Why didn’t you say something?”  
“You were all in bed when I got back. Amara and I thought we’d see how she acted today before saying anything.”  
“What did you see? Why do you think something is wrong?”  
“Kitty acted like killing meant nothing to her. But it’s probably nothing.”  
“No,” the Cuckoos said. “You are correct. Two minds reside within – perhaps even three.”  
“Kwannon or Ogun?”  
“It is difficult to say, but we have an idea. If Dani were to use her powers on Kitty, it should affect all minds present.”  
Without another word, Illyana grabbed the door handle. It was locked. A simple spell fixed that problem. Upon entering, Kitty was in the exact same position she had put herself in the night before. Dani had been watching her that morning when Illyana opened the door.  
“Dani,” said Illyana. “Use your powers on Kitty right now.”  
“We—”  
Kitty was on her feet in an instant. She kicked Dani hard into the wall, but Kitty hadn’t accounted for Dani’s stubborn streak. Even with her head aching, Dani lashed out with her power. The great fear that appeared was that of Wolverine. Only Dani could see it.  
“Wolverine,” Dani said with a start. “Why would Kitty be afraid of Wolverine?”  
“She wouldn’t be,” Illyana said. “That’s not Kitty’s fear. Girls? A little help, please?”  
The eyes of the Stepford Cuckoos glowed. Even at 80% of their full power, they were a force to be reckoned with.  
“We have strengthened Kitty’s mind,” they replied. “The spirit possessing her is struggling to maintain control.”  
“Spirit, eh? I’ve got an idea.”  
Illyana summoned her Soulsword, a gleaming mystic sword that contained the full force of her mystic and mutant might. Over the past six months since she had come to the Massachusetts Academy, Illyana had grown tremendously in both areas. The Soulsword was more powerful than ever.  
Gripping it with both hands, Illyana swung her Soulsword at Kitty. Kitty dodged, kicking Illyana and knocking the sword out of her hand.  
By this time, the entire wing had been roused. Sharon and Rahne both sensed the change in Kitty’s scent. They wasted no time jumping in. Kitty fought back but was no match for the both of them, especially while two minds battled for supremacy. Holding her down, Illyana once more approached Kitty. Raising her Soulsword high, she plunged it into Kitty’s heart.  
As soon as the Soulsword hit, screams came from both Kitty and the spirit of Ogun that was now evident. Ogun instinctively looked for a new host, but Illyana wasn’t having any of that. She summoned a stepping disc and vanished into Limbo, taking Ogun with her.  
Marie-Ange appeared alongside Illyana, having also been transported. Illyana was able to keep Ogun in place because her will was paramount in Limbo. As if from nowhere, a card much like those used for tarot appeared in Illyana’s hand. This one was blank. Illyana handed it to Marie-Ange  
“Think you can imprint a spirit rather than just summon,” Illyana asked.  
“I have never tried such a thing,” Marie-Ange responded.  
“Try.”  
“I will do more than try. I will make it happen.”  
Illyana smiled. When she had first met Marie-Ange, the other girl had been shy and centered her life around things as random as accidentally dropping one of her cards. They had found common ground in magic. Slowly, over time, Marie-Ange had come out of her shell. Illyana told Marie-Ange that the cards worked for her, not the other way around. In many respects, Illyana had learned that same lesson recently in regard to Limbo. It was already less gloomy than in the past, when she had left it in Belasco’s image.  
Marie-Ange looked between the empty card and Ogun. Stretching out one of her arms, she closed her hand, as though picking something up. Ogun could not move except in the direction Marie-Ange pulled him. Then she smashed her hand down into the tarot card. When she removed it, Ogun’s image was present. Below, the card read ‘Le Diable’.  
“It is done,” said Marie-Ange. “He is forever imprisoned.”  
Illyana gave Marie-Ange a hug.  
“I knew you had it in you! Now, just to be on the safe side…”  
Taking the card from Marie-Ange, Illyana placed the card on a table. She summoned a pentagon of silver flame beneath the table.  
“I, Illyana Nikolievna Rasputin, bind you. As ruler of this realm, a reflection of me, you are forever imprisoned in this crystal.”  
When she finished, a crystal seemed to grow from beneath the card to encompass it.  
“Should anyone or anything come near you, you shall be transported to whatever is most distant from anything else. None will ever touch you again.”  
The crystal vanished. If Illyana’s spell held true she wouldn’t – or couldn’t – ever see it again. Nor could anyone else.  
“Now, back to Kitty.”  
With a snap of her fingers, Illyana and Marie-Ange vanished from Limbo.

“How is she,” Illyana asked when she arrived.  
“It is what we thought,” said Sophie. “There was something else in there.”  
“Can you get rid of it?”  
Sophie paused, searching for the proper words to describe it. It was so much simpler to show the information directly in the mind, but it wasn’t an option with Illyana.  
“It’s an echo. There’s no mind to remove. The ninja assassin she fought was also an empath. She imprinted a part of herself onto Kitty. Rather than the thoughts themselves, Kwannon seems to have transferred the way she thinks. Ogun may have had some effect, too, but it was minimal. He wanted to control rather than integrate. Kwannon chose to leave a part of herself behind. Kitty will change somewhat, but her core personality is very much intact.”  
As if coming out of a stupor, Kitty rubbed her head.  
“What happened,” Kitty asked. “The last thing I remember was…”  
Kitty’s face turned white. She remembered what she had done to Ogun in Kwannon’s body as though it had just happened.  
“Excuse me,” she said, covering her mouth as she ran off to the bathroom. As soon as she got there, Kitty spilled the contents of her stomach into the toilet. She retched long after there was nothing left to come out.  
“That’s Kitty,” said Illyana. “No doubt about it.”

Mercedes and Adam sat beneath the tree on the Great Lawn, as it had come to be known. They tried to meet together, in private, at least once a week. Being at the same school for the first time in their lives, the twins thought they should spend time together. After all, he’d spent most of the previous summer away, and that was the time they usually caught up on the goings-on of one another.  
“How could you not know she was different,” Mercedes asked.  
“The girl never liked us,” Adam replied. “I have no idea what constitutes normal for her. Nor, really, do I care very much.”  
“You’re just cranky because you had too much to drink and have a hangover.”  
“Hangovers come from dehydration. That’s not one of my biggest problems. I have a bit of an upset stomach.”  
Mercedes was quiet for a moment and then a serious look appeared on her face.  
“How is Rahne,” she asked.  
A dreamy look came across Adam’s face. Mercedes had never seen her brother this way. He’d had Holiday flings, just as she had, but this was different.  
“Very lovely,” he said with a smile.  
“This is serious, then? You’re staying with her?”  
“Yes.”  
Mercedes sighed. It wasn’t really the answer she wanted to hear. Initially, she thought Rahne wasn’t pretty enough for him, but that had changed. Then it was the breeding, though considering the identity of her mother, she really couldn’t justify such a reaction. The truth was that she was jealous that another girl had his attention. It wasn’t anything perverted, just that she wanted her brother to herself. Mercedes also didn’t know her mother while Adam had been able to spend time with her beneath the ocean. In some ways, she thought that closeness to her brother would somehow bring her closer to their mother. It wasn’t so much that Mercedes felt like she’d missed out by having two fathers, especially since everything Adam had told her said she wasn’t worth knowing. The issue was that she hadn’t wanted to know Mercedes. That hurt far more than she had ever acknowledged.  
“If that’s how it has to be, I promise to be good to her,” Mercedes said. “Perhaps I’ll even try to befriend her.”  
“You’d do that for me,” Adam said, elated.  
“One condition.”  
“Let’s have it.”  
“Never leave me again.”  
“Never. I promise.”  
Adam hugged Mercedes, holding her tightly. He knew he’d hurt her badly when he left. She had begged him not to go but he paid her no heed. Adam knew that now he would have to care for her until she found someone of her own. It wouldn’t be so difficult now that she had finally accepted Rahne. Those two aspects of his life coming together gave him a greater feeling of contentment than he’d ever realized was possible.

“That’s an odd sight,” Ivana said, watching Mercedes and Adam from nearby. “You don’t think…”  
“Don’t even go there,” Stephen said, cutting his sister off. “The only times they’re ever together are on school holidays and summers. Then he disappeared for a while last summer. Rahne’s been a source of contention between them. Looks like they finally resolved it.”  
“You really like Adam, don’t you?”  
“He’s a great guy. Too bad he’s got a girlfriend.”  
“When has that ever stopped you?”  
“I’ve never intentionally gone after a boy who was dating someone else. If they don’t tell me I can’t know. Once the blood gets going I’m lost.”  
“Boys can’t think of anything else, can they?”  
“How many hours did it take you to jump in bed with Eileen?”  
“Technically, twenty-three.”  
Stephen gave her a look.  
“Fine. We made out within the first hour of meeting one-to-one.”  
“You’re such a tramp.”  
“Me? Maybe we should tally it up to find out who’s the bigger tramp.”  
“No, thanks. I don’t have the time.”  
“I thought you’d say that.”  
“I can’t help it. I see a hot guy and I want to jump his bones.”  
“It’s a good thing what little morals you have don’t let you cheat on boyfriends.”  
Stephen sneered at Ivana and then punched her in the shoulder. It wasn’t very hard, but that was all relative to the strength of the one throwing the punch; Stephen had super-strength, which sometimes made even his weak punches hard.  
“Ow,” Ivana cried out, rubbing her arm. “You bitch!”  
Pissed at her brother, Ivana blasted him with her energy powers. Not one to back down, Stephen adjusted his density to become diamond hard. In this form, he kicked at Ivana. Having transformed to light, the kicked passed through. Firing another bolt at Stephen, it reflected off of him and hit a nearby tree, causing it to fall over.”  
“Oh, great,” Stephen said. “Good fucking job.”  
Seeing that Stephen had resumed normal density, Ivana slapped him hard on the cheek. Getting mad all over again, Stephen slammed his fists down. Ivana had gone to light again, resulting in Stephen smashing a hole in the ground.  
::What do you two think you’re doing,:: came a telepathic screech from Emma Frost. ::How could you do this so publicly? Report to my office, immediately!::  
“We’re in for it now,” Stephen said.  
With a sigh, Ivana said, “Something tells me she won’t let us off as easily as our old school did. Maybe if Daddy bought a tree we could plant it to make up for the damage we did here.”  
“Excellent idea.”  
Stephen and Ivana put their arms around each others’ shoulders as they walked toward Hancock House. It was as though all the hard feelings between them had vanished the instant Frost yelled at them.

Inside Frost’s office, things weren’t going very well.  
“What were you thinking,” she screamed. “You know very well that you cannot use your powers so publicly!”  
“Okay, we got a little out of hand,” Stephen said.  
“Again,” Ivana added.  
“Am I to believe you do this often,” Frost asked.  
“Not often, but it’s not the first time. I’d call this one a draw.”  
“Do you think this is funny, young lady?”  
“We didn’t mean to wreck the tree. We’ll get a new one and plant it in place of the old one,” Stephen said.  
“Do you think it’s so simple? I had to edit the minds of all of the students on campus. They no longer remember your fight, instead believing a sudden storm appeared. There were two lightning strikes, one hitting the tree and the other the ground.”  
“We’ve never been secretive about our powers,” Ivana said.  
“We already had this discussion last night. What happens when someone sees you using powers displayed on a Hellions missions and makes a connection? You are forbidden to use your abilities outside of the Combat Room for the next week. This ban includes your dormitories. Any infraction will result in more severe penalties, including psychically preventing you from using them until I feel you have learned a lesson. If you refrain from using your powers in any way within the next week, all will be forgiven. You will have shown me you possess the necessary self-control to succeed in other areas. A posthuman future is coming. I believe you two have what it takes to lead us there. If you show me you’re capable, I can be of great use in helping you achieve that goal.”  
“One question,” Stephen said. “How do I handle my strength. I can’t not use that.”  
“Talk to James or Bo. They don’t seem to have a problem.”  
Stephen nodded.  
“We’re sorry, Ms. Frost. This is a hard habit to break. We’d never hurt each other. We know each other’s moves too well to do anything that would hurt the other.”  
“Yeah, but we could have hurt someone else,” said Ivana. “I guess that’s why Daddy worries so much. With everything happening in Genosha, hurting a human could end up being a disaster.”  
“That is the thinking I expect of you,” said Frost. “Humanity is not going to survive. Birth rates among them are down unless the resulting child is X-positive or latent. It is believed that they will cease to exist within three generations. Now, the question is this: Do you want them to be murdered in a war in which they can’t win or to let them pass gently?”  
Stephen and Ivana nodded. What they did could have potentially escalated into something much greater. The number of casualties on both sides would be staggering. Even if humanity wasn’t outright exterminated, those remaining would suffer horrible fates. In Genosha, Abyss had already turned humans into slaves. He justified it as vengeance, but it was still wrong. That would be the fate of all humans following such a war.  
Emma saw all of those things passing through the minds of her students. They were intelligent and compassionate, even if they were sometimes arrogant. Their capacity to learn from their mistakes was most important. Doing so would take them far.  
“Dismissed.”

“I’ve got an idea,” Mark said. “We just have to leave campus to do it.”  
“Do we need to go into town,” James asked. “There’s really not much to do there.”  
“Not into town. There’s this place just outside of town.”  
“The commune,” Fabian asked. “I had heard a small posthuman community had recently appeared.”  
“That can’t be a coincidence,” James said. “A small group of posthumans shows up near a school that’s training posthumans?”  
“You’re probably right,” Mark said. “But that’s not important right now.”  
“Then what is important,” asked Fabian.  
“There’s this guy who calls himself Ink. Can you guess his powers?”  
“Ink? Is it something to do with tattoos?”  
“Yes, exactly. They’re not in ink but I’m not sure what they are. I’ve heard his work is so good you'd think a person was born with the tattoo.”  
“I wonder how he does such a thing,” Fabian mused.  
“I only know of one way to find out.”  
James nodded his head.  
“I’m going to get a big-ass thunderbird on my back,” he said. “Just underneath it I’ll have a small inscription saying ‘For John.’”  
James was the younger brother of John Proudstar, the original Thunderbird. John had died on his second mission with the X-Men. James, blaming Charles Xavier for his death, vowed to avenge his brother. Emma Frost offered him that opportunity. If he trained as one of her Hellions, she would send them after the X-Men and give him the chance to kill Xavier. When Professor X and the X-Men went missing, the fight slowly began to drain out of James. Even if Xavier were to return, James doubted he would ever attempt to kill him. That didn’t mean James would forget his brother. A tattoo honoring his life seemed appropriate.  
“That’s a great idea,” said Mark. “I know you didn’t get your chance to attack Xavier, but I think it worked out better this way. I don’t think it would have made you feel better.”  
“You’re probably right. I was just too full of anger and wanted revenge but I think John wouldn’t have wanted it. He chose that life and the risks associated with it.”  
“After we get our tattoos,” Fabian said. “We should have a drink and toast to the life he had.”  
“I think I might like you after all,” James said with a smirk.

“This really sucks,” Dani said to Sam. “Kitty and I were never best friends or anything but I can’t believe Frost won’t let anyone see her.”  
“Maybe if your powers ever go telepathic,” Sam began. “It might make a difference.”  
“Illyana’s in there.”  
“There’s no way Frost could keep her out. Ends up being easier to let her in than keep throwing her out.”  
“She could sneak us in.”  
“Doug tried that,” Sam replied. “It didn’t work out.”  
Dani sat down on her bed next to Sam. She looked a little sad and gave a sigh.  
“I haven’t really connected with anyone here. Rahne’s spent so much time with Sharon, and now Adam. I’m happy for her but I still miss her. Roberto, even though he always complains, seems to fit in here better than I’d ever have thought. Ever since Amara found out about her history, she’s been too involved in trying to figure out who she is to pay attention to anything else. You’ve been my rock, Sam.”  
Sam put an arm around Dani’s shoulder.  
“Pretty much the same here. Mark tried to be friendly to me at the beginning but then his parents died and he really got into the drugs. Doug’s pretty friendly but he spends most of his time with Kitty.”  
“What about Haroun?”  
“Mark implied he might be, well, you know… queer.”  
“Sam, you’ve got to get over that. Being gay doesn’t make someone a bad person.”  
“It’s one thing to say it and another to share a room with someone who is.”  
Dani rested her head on Sam’s shoulder. Sam saw that she was still depressed. Wanting to comfort her, Sam kissed Dani on the top of her head. Part of Sam expected Dani to stiffen and pull away. Instead, she looked up at Sam, staring into his eyes. Seeing affection there, and realizing she felt the same, Dani stretched upward to kiss Sam. She had never considered Sam in that way but now realized that she had a closer relationship with him than anyone else. Even her parents, returned after having been lost for years, didn’t feel close.  
When they finally withdrew, Sam started at Dani. He wasn’t sure how she was ultimately going to react, but she looked happy.  
“Are you okay with this,” Sam asked her.  
“Yeah,” Dani replied. “Now that this has happened I’m wondering what took us so long.”  
Having said that, Dani kissed Sam once more. They had, at last, found their place.

“Why don’t you do something to distract yourself,” Haroun suggested.  
“Like what,” asked Doug.  
“Perhaps some time in the Combat Room. Your fighting skills have been improving. You should continue honing them.”  
Doug shrugged his shoulders, not liking the idea. It was true that he had been able to reduce everything to patterns – or language in some respects – but he hardly felt suited for combat. It just wasn’t his forte.  
“My head’s still a little groggy,” Doug replied. “I had way too much to drink last night. Stephen and Adam both seem fine, but not me. I get the feeling they have a lot more experience with this than someone raised a Mormon.”  
“That isn’t necessarily a good thing for them.”  
“I guess, but they don’t feel like shit and I do.”  
Haroun was quiet. Doug was one of the few people who was nice to him. The other Hellions mostly kept their distance. It wasn’t that he’d ever done anything to them, but something seemed to keep him from developing friendships with them. He wondered if it was his religion or something else. Muslims had a more difficult time in the United States and many Western European countries ever since extremist groups had begun making terrorist attacks against them.  
“Can I ask you a question,” said Haroun.  
“Sure.”  
“It’s about Stephen. I’ve heard rumors.”  
“That’s not a question.”  
“Is he homosexual?”  
“Why? Are you interested?”  
“No! I just wondered.”  
“I guess so. He definitely likes guys.”  
“Does that make you uncomfortable,” Haroun asked.  
“Nah. Stephen’s cool, even if that whole thing with the fight today was stupid.”  
“Adam also doesn’t care, even though they are roommates?”  
Doug gave Haroun a peculiar look. He was getting suspicious about this line of questioning.  
“What are you getting at,” Doug asked.  
“Before the Hellions had separate quarters, I roomed with another student from the Academy. One night we did things. No one knew about it. Yet, he told people and claimed I drugged him. Ms. Frost cleared me but many have chosen not to believe it. I think Sam somehow learned of this. He very rarely speaks to me.”  
“Sam’s kind of, well, an idiot,” Doug said. “He’s got these stupid backwater ideas about how people should be. I’m sure being Islamic doesn’t help. I can talk to him if you want.”  
“No, but thank you.”  
“If you change your mind, let me know.”

Jenny Stavros moaned as Christopher Aaronson thrust in and out of her. She was on top, her hands on his chest, as he held her breasts, kneading them. Christopher than stiffened. Jenny could tell he was about to ejaculate and let out an extended moan, as though she were having an orgasm. When he relaxed, Jenny took a few more short breaths before collapsing onto his chest and wrapping her arms around his neck. Christopher gently kissed her neck. After a few moments, Jenny rolled off of him.  
“They’re going to come after me, eventually,” Christopher said. “I thought they must have given up on the idea of vengeance. Then, after last month… Manuel still hasn’t fully recovered. He deserved it but it was really bad.”  
“They didn’t go after Tyler,” Jenny said.  
“Tyler was already punished. He’s also changed since it happened. I don’t think he’s angry anymore, or at least he’s got it under control.”  
“Don’t worry,” Jenny said with a smile. “I have a feeling luck is on your side.”  
“This is going to sound very strange,” Christopher began. “But I wish Tyler and I could be friends again. We got along very well until – You see, I don’t make friends very easily. I don’t like most people. I like Tyler.”  
“Even though he’s not as angry?”  
“There was more than just mutual anger to our friendship. I think we have similar goals and I doubt that’s changed very much. If we aligned our methodology we could find common ground again.”  
“Maybe you should talk to him.”  
“That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

“How are you feeling,” Illyana asked for probably the twentieth time that day.  
“I’m fine, Illyana,” said Kitty. “Really.”  
“Possession isn’t something to take lightly.”  
“I’m not possessed. Ogun is gone.”  
“That’s not completely true,” Tyler said.  
Emma Frost had dictated that at least one of the telepaths in the Hellions had to remain with Kitty until she was fully cleared. While Ogun was gone, no one knew what effect this possession might have had on her in the end. Then there was Kwannon, whose style of thinking had at least partially imprinted itself onto Kitty. She was still Kitty but it was likely that there would be some changes.  
Lockheed growled at Tyler. The dragon spent much of his time hunting in the nearby forest but didn’t want to be left out if Kitty was in trouble. Illyana had thought of that and teleported him in.  
“Lockheed,” Kitty chided. “You don’t have to worry about Tyler, but thanks all the same.”  
Not entirely convinced, Lockheed flew to Kitty’s bed and settled down against her side. Lockheed remembered that Tyler had done something that upset Kitty. He wouldn’t forget that.  
“I don’t think your dragon likes me,” Tyler said.  
“He’s just protective of me.”  
“Lockheed remembers things very well,” said Illyana. “It especially sticks when something has made Kitty very happy or very upset. It takes him a long time to adjust to change. He knows what happened a few months ago.”  
Tyler frowned.  
“I know I screwed up.”  
“Good. It helps to keep you honest.”  
That was the first time anyone had suggested Tyler might be changing for the better. There was a certain implication that Sophie felt the same way, but she had never said so. Besides, it was hard to say if the Cuckoos really cared what happened to most people one way or the other. It could be that they cared a lot but kept their feelings well hidden.  
“Illyana, could you do me a favor,” asked Kitty.  
“Do you even have to ask the question?”  
“Can you bring Doug?”  
“Wait,” said Tyler. “Ms. Frost specifically said—”  
“Ms. Frost never really punished Manuel, did she,” Illyana commented.  
Tyler turned white. Months ago when Manuel had taken control of Christopher and forced him to brutally rape Tyler, there had been no real consequences. Frost had suppressed Manuel’s powers for a short time, but it was commonly thought that Frost believed he was too valuable to let him go. This kept him from any serious punishment and devalued Tyler.  
“Fine. Bring him.”  
Illyana vanished with a smile. Several moments later she appeared with Doug in tow. He immediately went to Kitty’s side to hug her.  
“Are you okay,” he asked. “Frost wouldn’t let me see you!”  
“Shh,” said Kitty. “I’m fine. I needed the two of you here so I could explain some things.”  
Illyana’s eyes narrowed. She was instantly suspicious.  
“What is it?”  
“I don’t feel quite the same anymore,” said Kitty.  
“About me,” Doug asked.  
“No, about me. Kitty was a sweet and sometimes naïve girl. That girl never had to make deals with the enemy and definitely never had to kill.”  
“Tyler,” said Illyana. “What’s your take here?”  
“She’s okay,” Tyler replied. “This is the result of self-examination.”  
“Thank you, Tyler,” Kitty said. “Anyway, like I was saying, I’m not really Kitty anymore.”  
“Who are you,” Doug asked.  
“Kate. Kitty is a kid. Kate is more adult.”  
“You’re still a kid,” Illyana said. “You shouldn’t have to grow up so soon.”  
“Like you shouldn’t have had to. There’s no use thinking about what could have been because here we are. Kitty isn’t the only thing to go, either. Ariel is also somewhat childish. Whatever happened to me, there’s something else. I can feel these moves inside of me. I almost think that these combat techniques that I seem to now understand, as well as growing up, are what Kwannon left inside of me. I’m still me in all the ways that count but there’s a little bit of her inside that will never go away.”  
“What’s that mean?”  
“Kitty is sort of feline, right? Shadows are insubstantial, untouchable. I thought Shadowcat had the right ring to it.”  
“Where does that leave us,” Doug asked.  
“Exactly where you’ve always been—the best friends I’ve ever had. As far as I’m concerned, nothing has changed between us. I just wanted to let you know what was going on with me. You both deserve that. Now get over here and give me a hug!”  
After the group hug was over, Tyler stepped up to Kitty’s – or Kate’s – bedside. He put his hand to her forehead. Tyler had discovered that physical contact could sometimes allow for a telepathic scan that focused on detail more than a broad examination. After a full minute, Tyler pulled away.  
“If it were up to me,” Tyler began. “I’d clear you. As far as I can tell you’re fundamentally the same person. I think what you said is right. You’re still Katherine Pryde, just more grown up.”  
Kate got up from her bed. She found some clothes and began putting them on. Surprisingly, Kate was not at all shy about doing so around Tyler, though he had the good grace to avert his eyes. There was little doubt that this lack of embarrassment was a result of the imprint of Kwannon. In the past, Kate had been especially concerned about others seeing her body since, when she was adjusting to her powers, she had lost her clothes a time or two.  
“Thanks, Tyler,” Kate said. “We’re out of here.”  
“You can’t just leave,” said Tyler. “Frost will be furious.”  
“Look, all of us in this room know I’m fine. I sat around here long enough.”  
“How about this,” Illyana proposed. “Tell Frost I abducted her. She can’t read either of our minds.”  
“Okay,” Tyler responded. “I’ll give you a head start before I call Ms. Frost.”  
“I won’t forget that, Tyler. As long as I think I can trust you I’ll do whatever I can to protect you.”  
Tyler remembered full well the wrath Illyana could bring. She went after Tyler and Christopher in full demonic form, not just terrifying them with her mere presence, but also showing them that they were completely and utterly powerless against her. And that was just to give them a warning against messing with her friends. Who knew what she might do if she were really angry?  
Before Tyler knew it, a rush of air could be heard to replace the now-absent forms of Kate, Illyana and Doug. Tyler noticed that Illyana hadn’t used stepping discs, which meant that she had found alternate means of teleportation.

In the girls’ dormitory, Angelica was crying. She and Mark were sitting on the bed in one of the empty rooms. Mark also seemed upset, but not like Angelica.  
“I’m sorry,” said Mark. “I don’t think I can do this anymore.”  
“But I was going to—” she started, but interrupted herself with more crying. “I was going to give myself to you. I wanted to make love to you tonight.”  
“Angelica, I can’t—”  
Not wanting to take no for an answer, Angelica began to rub Mark’s cock through his jeans. He grabbed her arm to stop her, but it was already having an effect. Though Mark wanted to stop, he couldn’t bring himself to do so. It felt too good.  
Seeing that Mark’s resistance had weakened, Angelica leaned forward and kissed him. Going with it, Mark pulled Angelica’s shirt up over her head. Angelica unbuttoned Mark’s pants and pulled out his cock. It wasn’t long before Mark was inside of Angelica. This was his first time, and he hadn’t lasted very long. Angelica seemed okay with it. Mark didn’t feel much of anything. He also found it didn’t change anything. Mark still didn’t want her.

Sam and Dani were still making out when Illyana popped in with Kate and Doug. Both of their pants were unbuttoned, and Sam’s shirt was on the floor, but they hadn’t gone very far.  
“Oops,” Illyana said. “Sorry to interrupt.”  
Sam leapt up off the bed as if he’d been shocked. His face was beat red as he searched for his shirt. Finding it, he headed for the door until Doug stopped him.  
“Stick around, Sam,” said Doug.  
Dani, to her credit, only seemed annoyed. She wasn’t embarrassed because it really wasn’t anyone’s business what she and Sam did. In some ways she was glad that they’d been interrupted because she was afraid of where things might go. Mostly, she didn’t want to have to stop.  
“What do you want,” Dani asked. “I’m glad you’re out and all but I wouldn’t have minded some private time.”  
“I’m calling a meeting,” Kate said. “Illyana, go find Mark.”  
“Gotcha, boss.”

When Illyana found Mark, he was zipping up his pants. Angelica was crying on the bed and grabbed his shirt to cover up.  
“Um, sorry,” said Illyana. “I need to talk to you.”  
“If you can hold on a minute, I’ll be right out.”  
“Sure.”  
Illyana stepped out into the hallway but she still heard everything.  
“I’m sorry, Angelica, but this can’t work.”  
“Mark, I love you,” Angelica cried. “I gave myself to you!”  
“I never asked you to.”  
“You didn’t exactly stop me.”  
“A mistake on my part.”  
“I’m just a mistake?”  
“Angelica,” Mark said, exasperation in his voice. “I’ve told you over and over I want to stay clean. The problem is that I really do want to get high. It makes me feel better, at least for a short time, but I know it’s no good for me. And what’s the first thing you do when we’re done? You offer me PHM! So long as you continue, I can’t be with you.”  
“I’ll quit! I swear it!”  
“You’re an addict.”  
“I need help! You can help me!”  
“No,” Mark said. “How can I help you when I’m struggling with it myself? Clean yourself up, Angelica. Get help. I can’t do it for you.”  
Mark grabbed his shirt and walked out the door. Illyana was leaning against the wall and Mark knew she’d heard everything. When it looked like he was going to cry, Illyana pulled him close and hugged him. When he stopped crying she grabbed his hand and walked him down the hall until they were in front of Dani and Kate’s door.  
“I’m sorry, Mark,” Illyana said.  
“I had to,” he replied. “I love her. I just can’t keep doing this.”  
“I know.”  
“You always knew, didn’t you?”  
“I kept my eye on you. As long as I thought you weren’t doing anything too bad, like PHX, I didn’t feel I had the right to stop you.”  
“It probably wouldn’t have helped.”  
“Probably not. Now put your shirt on. We’re having a meeting.”  
Once Mark was fully clothed and had regained his composure, Illyana opened the door. She dragged Mark inside.  
“This boy is more difficult to find than you’d think,” Illyana said sarcastically. “Once I did, I had to shove him down the hall. He couldn’t bear to be away from his precious girlfriend.”  
Mark smiled. Illyana was covering for him. It wasn’t the first time she’d done so and Mark couldn’t figure out why. There wasn’t a romance factor, that was for sure, but Illyana seemed to want to protect him.  
“Now that we’re all here, let’s have our meeting.”

As they walked into Mojoworld, Kate glanced down into the Arena. There was a red-headed fighter up against a horned ram-like being. The one who appeared human had a black star tattoo over his left eye that seemed to glow at times. He had amazing moves, which were of high interest to Kate, and it didn’t take him very long to dispatch his opponent.  
Once they had settled down, Kate gave a rundown on the changes she’d gone through. She wanted to let them know her new codename, as well as one other thing she hadn’t brought up to anyone else.  
“I’m an empath,” Kate said.  
“Like Manuel,” Sam said with a look of distaste.  
“No, I don’t think so. Kwannon could sense emotions but nothing else. I seem to have inherited it from her. I haven’t told anyone else and I don’t plan to. We can use it to our advantage. I’ll know if people are lying to me or how they’re reacting on the inside whenever they say or do something.”  
“That’s cool,” said Mark. “I always had that with my sister. I can’t tell much about her now except that she’s alive.”  
“You seemed a little tense, earlier,” Dani said. “Is everything okay?”  
“I broke up with Angelica. It didn’t go well.”  
“Sorry to hear it. I don’t mean to sound crude, but I think it’s for the best. We all know what you were doing when you were together.”  
“That’s why I did it. I tried to break up with her two months ago. You all know the result of that. She did something, tried to make me stay. I don’t think I would have given in but it didn’t hurt that Illyana was outside the door.”  
“What’s with that tattoo I saw when you had your shirt off,” Illyana asked. “When did you get that?”  
“Oh, that was earlier today. I went into that PH commune with James and Fabian...”

 

Earlier in the day, the boys arrived in a posthuman commune that had recently popped up.  
“This is so cool,” James said. “It’s like I’ve found home. They’re all like us here.”  
“There is power in this place,” said Fabian. “It does not look like very much but the power of a city runs through here.”  
They all looked around. It didn’t look like anything more than a shanty town. The buildings were all unpainted wood. Everything was new but very bland. It was almost as though its inhabitants were trying to downplay the technology within.  
James stopped someone for directions.  
“Excuse me,” he said. “We’re looking for Ink.”  
“He only does posthumans,” came the reply.  
Fabian caused his eyes to flare with energy.  
“Good enough for me,” he said. “Follow this path. It’s the third one before last on the right.”  
“I’m curious,” Mark said. “Why did this place appear? It wasn’t here a month ago. The location seems unusual.”  
“There’s access to a place…” the man began. “It’s dangerous. We know all the other posthumans in the area are from where I’d guess is your school. We want to keep those kids out.”  
“Why?”  
“The owner has been known to draft people inside into a gladiatorial arena. If you have the right powers, you probably won’t have much choice.”  
Mark remembered the battles he’d seen in the Arena and wondered if the participants were there by choice.  
“How can you close it down,” James asked.  
“If no one goes in, the door will eventually go away.”  
“What’s in there?”  
“Never mind that. Go get your tattoos.”  
The dismissal was clear enough so the boys traveled down the path to the building to which the man had directed them. There was no indication as to who lived there. Mark decided to knock on the door.  
“Enter,” came a voice from inside.  
The three stepped inside. It was almost like walking into another world. The walls were white. It wasn’t wood or metal, but something unknown to them. There was also furniture that seemed designed more for comfort that simple utility. Unusual paintings of otherworldly landscapes could be seen. Classic rock-style music was playing, but none of them were actually known songs. Standing next to what looked like a barber shop chair was a Latino man with dark hair and multiple piercings on his face.  
“We are looking for Ink,” Fabian said. “Are you he?”  
“You got it,” Ink said. “Before we get started, let me explain to you how it works. The tattoos are permanent. Despite the name, I don’t use ink. I change your DNA so it’s always there. If you get cut, the tattoo won’t be ruined because whatever was missing will grow back with your skin. It you’re down with that, and you’ve got $75 each, we’re in business.”  
“My tattoo is going on my lower back,” Fabian said.  
Ink pressed a hidden button on one of the chairs. It shaped itself into the form of a long table. It was made of what looked to be the same material as the walls and was warm to the touch.  
“Take off your shirt and lie down on your stomach.”  
When Fabian was in place, Ink cracked his knuckles. Then he reached down to touch his back.  
“Tell me,” he said.  
“The zodiac sign for Capricorn.”  
Having heard that, James and Mark both gasped when they saw Ink’s fingers literally sink into his skin. He was kneading inside of Fabian’s back, almost as if he were actually rearranging his DNA with his fingers. A picture began to appear as he did it until, after nearly twenty minutes, he was done. The animal representation of Capricorn was a Sea Goat. The image showed a dragon-like goat, complete with the head and hooves of a goat, rising out of the water. Coiled in its tail was the symbol for Capricorn.  
“Before it’s set,” Ink began. “Look at it and tell me it it’s what you wanted.”  
A holographic image of Fabian’s back appeared. He was awestruck.  
“That is amazing,” said Fabian. “I never imagined it could be this way. It is perfect.”  
Ink ran his fingers along Fabian’s back. When he reached the tattoo, he felt a hard pinch and cried out.  
“Done. It’s bonded permanently. The final part hurts a bit but nothing you can’t handle. Who’s next?”  
Fabian got up. James pulled his shirt off and lay down on the table.  
“I want a thunderbird across my entire back,” he said. “And it’s got to say ‘For John’ underneath it.”  
“That resonates well with you.”  
Ink once more went to work. As he kneaded, an image took form. It was a bird in flight. The wings were colorful hues of reds, blues and yellows. Lightning seemed to crackle around it. Two bolts of lightning shot down behind the bird. Sparks from one of the bolts took shape to say ‘Forever John’. James was impressed, thanking him profusely. It almost seemed as though Ink could sense what belonged.  
Mark pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to Ink. On it was a very rough sketch of what he wanted.  
“The one design on the shoulder needs to sort of hook up with the one in the center of my back.”  
Ink considered and turned the table back into a chair.  
“I’ll do the shoulder first and then flow into the back.”  
Ink began kneading Mark’s shoulder. It was strange to see what he was doing, even though he knew what would happen after watching the other two. The sensation was also curious. It felt like a massage from the inside.  
“Interesting,” Ink said. “This one will spark.”  
“What’s that mean?”  
“The right image combined with the right power allows the image to take on aspects of the power.”  
“My power is about stretching and growing.”  
“Perhaps a new mutation. I was unable to do this until recently. We’re all changing.”  
“Even so, I haven’t mutated.”  
“It must be coming.”  
After a good twenty minutes of work, Ink had Mark lean forward while the back of the chair folded up into itself. He continued for another ten minutes. Then he felt a sharp pain.  
“How come you didn’t let me see it first,” Mark asked.  
“Some tattoos are perfectly aligned to those receiving them. Do you have any psychic abilities?”  
“Mild. A bit of empath, or lots of powers, all around, but none of them especially strong.”  
“Those powers must have guided you in drawing the images. A change must be coming for you that will make full use of the design.”  
“Oh.”

“That’s weird,” Doug said. “Secondary mutations are usually tangentially related to the original powers. I can’t see how sparks factor in.”  
“Me, neither.”  
“What interests me more,” Kate began. “Is the allusion made to Mojoworld. If it’s that dangerous here, maybe we need a new place.”  
“I wouldn’t worry too much,” said Illyana. “I can always get us out of here.”  
“Are you sure,” Sam asked. “The first time we came here, the woman at the door thought Mojo might like to meet you. It has to be something to do with your sorcery.”  
“I think so, too,” said Dani. “If that’s true, Mojo might even be keeping an eye on us.”  
“What choice do we have,” said Mark. “Where else can we go that will let us talk openly and prevent Frost from finding out?”  
“No choice at all,” said Kate.

END


End file.
